CAPE TOWN – A memorable day at World Sports Betting Newlands on Day 1 of the New Year’s Test as Ryan Rickelton and Temba Bavuma put Proteas in a good position.
South African captain Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl first on the sunny Friday in Cape Town.
Shukri Conrad’s charges came to Newlands with a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series against Pakistan after a two-wicket victory on the fourth day of the first Test in Centurion last week.
Opener Rickelton knocked a solid 176 off 232 balls while Bavuma delivered a superb 106 in 179 balls, his second century at Newlands.
Bavuma later departed on high after he was bowled out by Salman Agha.
Opening up with Aiden Markram who departed for 17 runs, Rickelton was joined by Wian Mulder, who also did not stay long at the crease before he was bowled out by Mohammad Abbas for 5 runs.
The Lions teammates put up a solid partnership to end day 1 on 316/4.
In the post-match conference, Rickelton praised his partnership with Bavuma saying it was special.
That’s how much it means!!👏
💯 for the @ProteasMenCSA captain, @TembaBavuma.🥳🔥
His 2nd century at WSB Newlands. #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/c7DQLN4xep
— Ayanda Frances Felem (@AyandaFelemZA) January 3, 2025
“We bat really well together, we don’t talk a lot in all honesty, but we just emphasise doing the basics for long periods of time,” said Rickelton.
“He’s been playing incredibly well for a nice period of time as well, so we just emphasise doing the right things for a long time, when his calf started to cramp he told me I needed to pull the old man through, so I kept trying to remind him, telling him to keep doing the basics.
“So to share the partnership out there, captain of South Africa and captain of the Lions as well is special for me, and I’d like to thank him as well, it was really cool.”
Image: @ProteasMenCSA/Twitter.